inspector calls Flashcards
1
Q
context - politics
A
- 1912, Britain was capitalist and government had a laissez faire approach with the economy (little government intervention, businesses could set theikr own rates).
- 1945, biggest electoral swings in the 20th century. In 1945, labour party won by a landslide victory.
- birlings represent capitalist attitudes in 1912
- sheila and eric’s transformation into socialists represents the electoral swing and change in the political environment of 1945
2
Q
context - JB Priestley
A
- fought in WW1 so was scathing of governmental abuse of authority.
- in 1945 he was co-founder of the common wealth party (socialist party who favoured equality and helped labour win in 1945)
- uses inspector as his mouthpiece to be scathing of capitalism, and therefore government abuse of power, as well as promote socialist ideologies
3
Q
context - women
A
- in 1912 they were disenfranchised.
- in 1945 women’s effort on homefront was a pivotal turning point - seen as valuable.
- sheila starts off voiceless and weaker (representing disenfranchisement) and develops a voice (representing women’s power)
4
Q
context - class system
A
- 1912 was little social mobility - 25% lived in poverty.
- 1945 acts like the Equal Franchise Act 1928 meant that men and women over 21 could vote - lower classes had more of a voice
- eva smith represents individuals with little social mobility
- birlings symbolise those who upheld the classist and oppressive systems of 1912.
5
Q
6 key themes
A
SCROGG
Social class
Capitalism vs socialism
Responsibility
Older vs younger generation
Guilt
Gender
6
Q
Priestley general intentions
A
- he aims to vilify capitalism through making immorality, irresponsibility and exploitation synonymous with the characters he constructs to hold these beliefs. he aims to scrutinise how detrimental this ideology is to society and how it causes society to regress rather than progress.
- he shows that collective responsibility is a by-product of adopting socialist beliefs. he asserts that this collective responsibility serves as a solution to the division and segregation prevalent in society, ultimately creating inevitable social cohesion.
- he utilises his allegorical diatribe to both educate his audience and criticise the oppressive barriers of social class, arguing that upholding these divisions only exacerbates societal suffering and destruction.
7
Q
Mr Birling quotes
A
- “as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive - community and all that nonsense” (act 1)
- “public men, mr birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges” (act 2 said by inspector)
- “There’ll be a public scandal” (act 3)
- “the famous younger generation who know it all. and they can’t even take a joke-“ (act 3)
8
Q
Mr birling - “as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive - community and all that nonsense” (act 1)
A
- themes - SOCIAL CLASS, responsibility, capitalism, older gen, guilt
- zoomorphism: he degrades and mocks the lower classes likening them to “bees” and trivialises community and interconnected responsibility. - portrays collective responsibility as animalistic and a primal behaviour fit only for insignificant animals like bees.
- hyphen: prompts a theatrical pause, making the actor portraying Mr B to hesitate before “community” - reflects his physical repulsion to the concept, suggesting an inability to even verbalise it.
- he acts as a microcosm for capitalist ideologies, Mr b becomes vilified for his rejection of the idea of “community” and his preference for materialism over human relationships. 1945 audience would’ve valued community after the war.
9
Q
Mr Birling - “the famous younger generation who know it all. and they can even take a joke- “ (act 3) analysis
A
- themes - RESPONSIBILITY, capitalism, social class, guilt
- irony - he derisively labels the younger generation as ‘know-it-alls’, but ironically thinks he ‘knows it all’ (‘titanic’ and ‘silly little war scares’)
- priestly deliberately set the play in 1912 to fragmentize the ‘know it all’ ignorance of the older gen
- speech is cut off - after his callous dismissal of the suicide as a ‘joke’, he is abruptly interrupted by the telephone. through the play form, priestley can visually depict mr birling’s capitalist beliefs should be physically and symbolically removed from society.
10
Q
Mr Birling “public men, Mr Birling, have responsibility as well as privileges” (act 2 said by inspector) analysis
A
- themes: RESPONSIBILITY, capitalism, social class, guilt
- syntax: places ‘responsibilities’ before ‘privileges’ reflecting direct order of importance emphasised by inspector - mr b inverts this sequence prioritising materialistic gains over responsibility and collective social conscience
- short fragmented sentences : the concise, fragmented structure of ‘public men’ followed by ‘mr birling’ mirrors mr b’s fragmented perception o responsibility and accountability for hi exploitative treatment.- perceives his social status as granting him the authority to dehumanise those beneath him and absolve himself of any responsibility for the suffering her causes them.
11
Q
Mr birling “there’ll be a public scandal” (act 3) analysis
A
- themes: GUILT, OLDER GEN responsibility, social class, capitalism
- euphemistic language: rather than admitting to grave crimes he has committed, he brands it as a ‘scandal - exacerbates his stubbornness as a representative of the older generation, as he adamantly refuses to acknowledge the truth and feels no remorse. - ALT, it also implies his hesitancy to confront the crime, perhaps as he fears doing so would dismantle his carefully crafted facade he maintains for public perception.
- stagnant character: mr b persists in his self-serving outlook, thus is presented as a stagnant character as he ignores his moral and civic obligation as a member of society. - his lack of character development is disheartening, yet unsurprising for the audience, as Priestley establishes early on that capitalist characters from the older gen prioritise social status over compassion, remorse and social reform.
12
Q
Mrs birling key quotes
A
- “sheila what an expression! really the things you girls pick up these days” (act 1)
- [enters, briskly, and self-confidently, quite out of key] (act 2)
- “i don’t suppose for a moment that we can understand why the girl committed suicide. Girls of that class-“ (act 2)
- “i consider I did my duty” (act 2)
- “he certainly didn’t make me confess” (act 3)
13
Q
Mrs B “I don’t suppose for a moment that we can understand why the girl committed suicide. Girls of that class-“ (act 2) analysis
A
- themes: SOCIAL CLASS, guilt, responsibility, capitalism, older gen
- connotation of “girl”: connotes innocence and vulnerability, showcasing her willingness to exploit the vulnerable in society and rationalise it for capitalist advancement.
- demonstrative adjective “that”: dismisses them as an aggregate inferior and homogeneous group that all behave in the same way.
- Mrs B is entirely governed by the arrogance of her social status - she can’t even bring herself to specify eva’s social class, considering it so far beneath her.
14
Q
Mrs B “he certainly didn’t make me confess” (act 3) analysis
A
- themes - RESPONSIBILITY, guilt, capitalism, older gen
- connotations of “confess”: verb has connotations of crime, her denial of criminal acts and accountability comes effortlessly, reflecting the irresponsibility and immorality inherent to capitalist ideologies.
- imperative verb “make”: shows it is a way of keeping afloat in the power struggle between her and the inspector.
- this suggests that admitting responsibility would be conceding to the inspector, posing a threat to her status in the capitalist hierarchy - she is safeguarding her position within the societal structure dictated by capitalist ideologies.
15
Q
Mrs Birling “Sheila what an expression! really the things you girls pick up these days” (act 1) analysis
A
- themes: GENDER, social class, older gen
- exclamative sentence: she is presented as a marionette of her class and the patriarchy as she is complicit in upholding its conventions.
- ES emphasises her frantically trying to iron out any social faux pas so they operate seamlessly within the expectations of their class and within the patriarchy, she is reluctant to deviate from these in any way.
- as a member of the older gen and being of the most superior social standing of her family, she is almost held in aspic within the hard wired conventions of a capitalist and classist society, thus anything that threatens these conventions threaten her.
- condescending noun ‘girls’: she patronises sheila reinforcing the infantile preservation we see sheila endure in act 1.
- this could be done as sheila comes to symbolise emancipation, mrs b wants to keep her docile and submissive as she fears any changes to convention that may put her class position under threat
- mrs b belittles sheila in order to dismiss her behaviour and portray it as foolish or uncouth, she reinforces the separation between the older gen who are robust to newer ways of thinking and the younger ones that seem vulnerable to ‘pick[ing]’ them up like a disease.
16
Q
Mrs Birling [enters, briskly, and self-confidently, quite out of key] (act 2) analysis
A
- themes: SOCIAL CLASS, guilt, responsibility, older gen
- her entry into act 2: is conducted entirely under the arrogance of her social superiority. her ostentatious display of class renders her character discordant within the narrative of grief, remorse and suicide.
- this exacerbates her emotional detachment, as she maintains the same cold demeanour observes in act one which is the antithesis to the hysterical and remorseful presentation of her daughter.
- adverb briskly: indicates that mrs b is unwilling to pause and contemplate the adverse affects of er family’s unscrupulousness and exploitation
- her demeanour is conceited and calculated, typical of someone of her social standing who might typically navigate such situations with rehearsed social grace.
- however she fails to realise that she will not remain unscathed this time.
17
Q
Mrs Birling “I consider I did my duty” (act 2) analysis
A
- themes: RESPONSIBILITY, guilt, social class, capitalism, older gen
- noun ‘duty’: tool to explore the disparity of capitalists and socialists, for capitalists, upholding the class system was paramount, thus for mrs b, her duty and personal responsibility may be t uphold the class gap by refusing eva help.
- this stance contrasts sharply with her anticipated role within her organisation, where she is expected to adopt a philanthropic position. P introduces the audience to the social duty vs moral duty dichotomy.
- personal pronoun: the audience awaits with hopeful anticipation as mrs b begins her speech with the personal pronoun ‘i’ expecting her to demonstrate personal remorse and guilt
- however she consistently rejects the idea of being held accountable for any action that doesn’t align with the pristine persona she wishes to portray.
- through this, Priestley critiques the classism which penetrates every aspect of Edwardian life, rendering even the welfare organisations hollow, corrupt and performative
18
Q
Sheila key quotes
A
- “look mummy - isn’t it a beauty? (act 1)
- “but these girls aren’t cheap labour they’re people” (act 1)
- “[rather wildly, with laugh] No, he’s giving us the rope - so that we’ll hang ourselves” (act 2)
- “what he made me feel. Fire and blood and anguish” (act 3)
19
Q
Sheila “but these girls aren’t cheap labour - they’re people” (act 1) analysis
A
- themes: SOCIAL CLASS, socialism, younger gen, guilt, responsibility
- connotations of “girls”: connotes innocence and vulnerability - she’s recognised how exploitative capitalists prey on the disadvantaged social classes. she is disgusted by the inhumanity of her family.
- humanistic perspective: the inspector’s arrival frees her from the shackles of her oppressive privileged existence. she develops a humanistic outlook, valuing individuals over profit.
- this metamorphosis symbolises the advancement of the women’s rights in 1945, depicting women’s empowerment and their role in advocating for social justice for all oppressed members of society.
20
Q
sheila “what he made me feel. fire and blood and anguish” (act 3)
A
- themes: SOCIALISM, responsibility, guilt, younger gen
- The inspector’s proxy: sheila serves as his proxy, exemplified by her precise emulation of the polysyndeton on “and” - she attempts to emphasise the eternal consequences of lacking social conscience.
- personal pronoun: sheila is now a moral compass to her family, showcasing her evolution towards empathy as her use of the personal pronoun “me” shows she now experiences genuine remorse.
- her awareness extends beyond personal remorse, she has developed an understanding of the systemic consequences of capitalist ideologies on society as a whole.
21
Q
Sheila “look mummy - isn’t it a beauty?” (act 1) analysis
A
- themes: GENDER, social class, socialism, responsibility
- short simplistic language (in act 1): reflects not only how society silences her as a young woman perceived as inferior but also highlights her disenfranchisement. the lack of a voice could be seen as Priestley’s critique of the limited political agency women had during the Edwardian era.
- despite her privileged social status, sheila remains oppressed and marginalised. her language, marked by terms like ‘mummy’ suggests an infantile and sheltered perspective, illustrating how her social class shields her from life’s harsh realities.
- objectification: sheila’s mesmerisation at the ‘beauty’ of the ring is almost ironic as she is also only valued for her perceived ‘beauty’ and external looks by society. the objectification extends to both the young females we encounter
- both are similarly described as ‘pretty’ showing how despite their differing social class, they were both subject to the same oppressing and objectifying social perceptions.
22
Q
Sheila “[rather wildly, with laugh] No, he’s giving us the rope - so we’ll hang ourselves” (act 2) analysis
A
- themes: RESPONSIBILITY, socialism, younger gen, guilt
- stage direction: depicts sheila’s disillusionment with capitalist ideals and middle-class etiquette. she liberates herself from these constraints, embracing her unrestrained nature without apology.
- coupled with her [laugh], this suggests she finds capitalism absurd, laughing at its societal significance whilst laughing at how persistently delusional her parents are - they want to shirk their responsibilities and moral wrongdoings
- symbolism of ‘rope’: ‘rope’ has fibres that are all intertwined, this symbolising how sheila has recognised that everybody in society is intertwined with their responsibilities. each individual is all woven into the fabric of our communities and society and not independent pieces, but interconnected threads creating a larger united body.
- thus, sheila understands, through the inspector’s symbolic gesture of the ‘rope’, that she and her family bear a moral duty to protect the ‘millions and millions’ that suffer.
23
Q
Eric key quotes
A
- “Why shouldn’t they try for higher wages? we try for the highest possible prices” (act 1)
- “She was pretty and a good sport” (act 3)
- “i did what i did. and mother did what she did. and the rest of you did what you did to her” (act 3)
- “but don’t forget i’m ashamed of you as well- yes both of you” (act 3)
24
Q
Eric “why shouldn’t they try for higher wages? we try for the highest possible prices” (act 3) analysis
A
- themes: SOCIAL CLASS, younger gen, socialism, responsibility, guilt
- rhetorical question: eric is questioning the ethics behind his father’s exploitative attitude towards the lower social classes. he deviates from the [half shy] presentation into the [assertive] one foreshadowed at the beginning
- alliteration (plosives): put emphasis on the outdated and unjust social systems that have been created and upheld by older generation members like his parents.
- he exposes and questions the systemic bias that favours upper-class capitalists, leveraging a laissez-faire governmental stance.
25
Q
Eric “but don’t forget i’m ashamed of you as well - yes both of you” (act 3)
A
- themes: YOUNGER GEN, guilt, responsibility, socialism
- connotations of “ashamed”: connotes embarrassment, revealing eric’s deep disillusionment and embarrassment because of his realisation of capitalists’ inherent exploitation of individuals.
- hyphen: it simplifies the sentence, akin to the inspector’s concise speech, eric is simplifying to his obdurate parents of the older generation the importance of collective social responsibility.
- in act 1, the inspector’s brevity denotes authority, a trait echoes by eric as he speaks concisely to showcase his newfound power rooted in moral conviction.
26
Q
Eric “She was pretty and a good sport” (act 3) analysis
A
- GENDER, social class, guilt
- connotations of ‘sport’: evokes connotations of games and amusement, shedding light on Eric’s perception of his relationship with Eva as a form of selfish entertainment.
- it exposes the callousness with which he exploited and objectified her, reducing her to a mere source of gratification
- Eric’s callous alcohol fuelled relationship with Eva in a microcosm of the toxic dynamics perpetuated by unchecked privilege and substance abuse within Edwardian society.
- syntax of pretty: even in her death, eric still possesses power over her through reducing her to her superficial appearance, focusing first on her physical ‘pretty[ness]’.
- the syntax, with her physical attributes preceding her character, reflects his shallow perception, reducing eva to a mere object of desire rather than recognising her intrinsic worth as a human being.
- thus, Eva is emblematic of the disposable treatment of women in the early twentieth century.
27
Q
Eric “i did what i did. and mother did what she did. and the rest of you did what you did to her” (act 3)
A
- themes: RESPONSIBILITY, younger gen, socialism, guilt, social class
- personal pronoun on i: the reccurrent use of the personal pronoun serves not only to illuminate eric’s growing sense of personal accountability and social awareness but also signifies the maturation of his introspection.
- he is on a quest for redemption from his capitalist sins as he feels guilt for his immoral actions
- eric is transitioning from the [half shy] demeanour initially presented in act 1, not compelling his family to confront their own moral failings and take ownership of their unethical behaviour.
- parallelism: the parallelism, characterised by the repetition of ‘did what’ in each segment of the sentence, showcases the interconnected nature of everyone’s responsibility.
- eric emphasises that their negligence and exploitation are burdens they must collectively accept if not they will be tormented with guilt sempiternally.
- the parallelism surrounding ‘did what’ introduces an almost ambiguous quality as there are no details on what they specifically ‘did’. this compounds how they are microcosms of the upper-middle class and they symbolise how they ‘did what’ they pleased to the lower classes without remorse or accountability.
28
Q
Gerald key quotes
A
- [the well-bred young man about town] (act 1)
- “We’re respectable citizens and not criminals” (act 1)
- “she looked young and fresh and charming” (act 2)
- “everything’s all right now, Sheila [holds up the wing] what about this ring?” (act 3)
29
Q
Gerald “We’re respectable citizens and not criminals” (act 1) analysis
A
- themes: RESPONSIBILITY, social class, capitalism, guilt
- collective pronoun “we’re”: reinforces a segregative ideology, as Gerald employs it to unite the Birlings against perceived “criminals” - exposes aristocratic biases as fundamentally ignorant.
- alliteration on ‘citizens’ and ‘criminals’: creates a asense of similarity, reflecting Priestley’s portrayal of blurred lines between morality and criminality as one ascends the social hierarchy.
- much like Priestley’s use of dramatic irony and satire to mock Mr Birling, he subtly ridicules Gerald’s pretentious demeanour, revealing how the wealthy often have biases that align only with their narrow worldview.
30
Q
Gerald “Everything’s all right now, sheila [holds up the ring] what about this ring?” (act 3) analysis
A
- themes: RESPONSIBILITY, guilt, younger gen, capitalism, social class, gender
- cyclical narrative: as it is back on his and sheila’s engagement. this is reflective of his unwillingness to change and desire to absolve himself from guilt and responsibility
- he belongs to the younger generation but shirks accountability, disappointing the audience with his character arc - Gerald’s obstinate nature remains unchanged.
- ring symbolism: he reverts to this symbol of traditional power and possession in order to reassert himself; he finds comfort in the ingrained societal beliefs which make life ‘easy’ for him. status quo
31
Q
Gerald [the well-bred young man about town] (act 1) analysis
A
- themes: SOCIAL CLASS, capitalism, younger gen
- animalistic imagery of ‘well-bred’: for priestley’s contemporary audience, the stage direction ‘bred’ evokes imagery of animal breeding, conjuring a metaphorical image of gerald as a product of meticulous cultivation, much like a carefully bred animal.
- this suggests gerald has been groomed from birth to embody the archetype of the aristocratic and charming ‘man about town’. thus, he is a victim to capitalist ideologies ingrained within him, as he is unable to escape the persona created for him before he even had agency over his identity.
- adjective ‘easy’: implies that gerald easily assimilated into the higher echelon of society as he is a paragon of social superiority.
- this ease and comfort in his current circumstances foreshadow his resistance to change, contrasting with the more malleable qualities of other members of the younger generation.
- this reluctance to embrace socialist principles may stem from a fear of jeopardising his social standing and being ostracised by the elite.
32
Q
Gerald “she looked young and fresh and charming” (act 2) analysis
A
- themes: GENDER, social class
- noun ‘fresh’ connotes innocence and purity which presents eva as prey to gerald, it introduces this notion of consumption which implies gerald is acting on primal and lustful desires.
- alternatively, this idea of innocence distances eva from a typical prostitute - suggesting that gerald did not pursue their relationship as a micheton and it was instead a heroic response to the sympathy he felt for her.
- polysyndeton: serves to amplify the list of qualities that gerald fondly reminisces about regarding eva/daisy.
- however, the fact that 2 out of 3 adjectives list physical attributes showcases how eva served as a physical fantasy for gerald, a refuge from the constraints of his engagement and the continual pressure of up keeping his social status.
33
Q
The inspector key quotes
A
- It’s better to ask for the earth than to take it” (act 1)
- “As if she were an animal, a thing, not a person” (act 3)
- “If men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught in fire, blood and anguish” (act 3)
- “we are members of one body” (act 3)
34
Q
Inspector “It’s better to ask for the earth than take it” (act 1) analysis
A
- themes: SOCIALISM, responsibility, social class, guilt
- syntax on “ask”: prior to “take” reflects the hierarchical order of importance crucial for societal collective responsibility - we must “ask” and share resources, in contrast to the individualistic capitalistic notion of “taking” for political gain
- connotations of “take”: to “take” carries connotations of stealing, a notion vehemently condemned in biblical teachings.
religion was the foundation of morality in the Edwardian era, capitalist ideals disregard these teachings. - Juxtaposingly, socialism can be viewed as a return to society’s moral foundations, emphasising communal values and collective responsibility over individualistic desire.
35
Q
inspector “if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught in fire and blood and anguish” (act 3) analysis
A
- themes: RESPONSIBILITY, guilt, socialism, social class
- polysnyndeton: reflects the perpetual torment awaiting those who shirk their moral and civic responsibilities.
- ALT, it may allude to the second world war “anguish”, symbolises humanity’s failure, to learn from past mistakes, leading to further “blood and anguish”
- biblical allusions: inspector could be portrayed as an agent of God through the hellish allusions. He is trying to bring the Birling’s back to the foundation of morality - religion
36
Q
Inspector “As if she were an animal, a thing, not a person” (act 3) analysis
A
- themes: SOCIAL CLASS, responsibility, guilt, socialism, gender
- beastly image on ‘animal’: eva serves as a microcosm for the exploited lower class, and the depiction of her as an ‘animal’ presents a beastly image that symbolises the dehumanising treatment endured by those at the bottom of the social hierarchy.
- this symbolises the systematic dehumanisation inflicted upon the lower classes - they not only suffer physical and emotional degradation but constantly battle social injustice and inequality.
- asyndetic listing: the use of an asyndetic list conveys a sense of relentless repetition, vividly illustrating how Eva endured relentless marginalisation and exploitation both due to her lower societal status and her gender.
- through the character of the inspector, who serves as priestley’s mouthpiece, priestley vocalises criticisms of the dehumanising and objectifying treatment of women during the early 20th century
- given that priestley’s 1945 audience was predominantly women post-war, highlighting eva’s unjust treatment as a marginalised woman would have elicited a strong emotional response from his audience. this one again emphasises socialism as a superior alternative, offering a path towards eliminating the disparity and oppression experienced by individuals.
37
Q
Inspector “We are members of one body” (act 3) analysis
A
- themes: RESPONSIBILITY, socialism, social class, guilt
- biblical allusions: he also directly relays the biblical teaching, used in baptism, that we are ‘members of his body’ in Christ. this is parallel language to ‘we are members of one body’.
- thus, the inspector, alike to Jesus, promotes the union of society and togetherness - reinforcing his spreading of Christianity and its foundational teachings.
- alike to jesus providing salvation for mankind, the inspector’s final polemic can be seen as being the salvation for the birlings’ as he reminds them to ‘remember that. never forget it’/ it therefore could be seen that socialism is the only chance at salvation for society.
- singular image on ‘one’: the singular image of ‘one’ serves as a poignant reminder of the socialist belief that a profound interconnectedness binds humanity together.
- therefore he teaches the birlings it is their moral imperative to recognise and fulfil their duty to care for their community and members of society.
- by understanding that we are all interconnected, the inspector teaches both the birlings and the audience that society can strive towards a society built on empathy, socialism, and social responsibility opposed to hatred, segregation and irresponsibility.
